1. In the book, They Say I Say, Graff and Berkenstein preach their idea, “In our view, then, the best academic writing has one underlying feature: it is deeply engaged in some way with other people’s views”(Graff and Berkenstein 3). It is very important to engage in others’ views in your writing. One reason is there must be a statement or a type of well known fact that you must argue your point either against or in support for. Graff and Berkenstein mention,”Therefore, when it comes to constructing an argument… we offer you the following advice: remember that you are entering a conversation and therefore need to start with “what others are saying,” as the title of this chapter recommends, and then introduce your own ideas as a response”(Graff and Berkenstein 20-21). In order for your reader to fully understand your thesis and argument, they must also have knowledge on the argument as a whole and the side of the argument you are going against. Another reason it is important to engage others’ views in your writing is that it can give the reader a better picture of the larger conversation that is being had. Graff and Berkenstein write.”We also believe that you need to present that argument as part of some larger conversation, indicating something about the arguments of others that you are supporting, opposing, amending, complicating, or qualifying”(Graff and Berkenstein 21). By engaging in others’ views in your writing, you are effectively giving the reader more information on the larger picture of the situation or argument you are writing about, thus keeping them well informed enough to form their own opinions on the subject.
2. As a high school writer, I often followed the generic five paragraph essay format, as taught by my English teachers every year. One introductory paragraph, 3 body paragraphs with quotes integrated in all of them, and then the closing paragraph, the writer’s last chance to state their thesis to the reader. In my writing, I would often state the argument first in my introductory paragraph, followed by a quick counterargument that came prior to my thesis statement. This same method that has worked for me is even stated by Graff and Berkenstein in chapter one. They state,”What we suggest, then, is that as soon as possible you state your own position and the one it’s responding to together, and that you think of the two as a unit”(Graff and Berkenstein 21). I believe this method is the most effective at easing tension on the contradicting advice stated in the question. Using the writer’s position and the one it is responding to together can effectively get your point across to the reader early in the paper, and give them a better general understanding of what you are trying to prove the rest of the paper.
3. I found many of the tips and recommendations made by the authors in chapters 3 about quotes and integrating them into your writing were concepts I had learned and used before. Graff and Berkenstein mentioned one practice that stood out to me the most, as it has always been the more important in my writing. Graff and Berkenstein explain,”The one piece of advice about quoting that our students say they find most helpful is to get in the habit of following every major quotation by explaining what it means, using a template like one of ones below(Graff and Berkenstein 47-48). In high school, the explanation of the quotes were always the most important and most reitterated parts of the essay. They were the make or break parts of your paper, and these sections were vital in order for the writer to prove his or her thesis to the reader. In my opinion, there is no point in implementing a quote into your writing if you aren’t going to explain the meaning behind it and why you decided to put it into your writing. By not giving an explanation, you are simply wasting the time of the reader, and also your own time.
